Forward
by Cafinatedangel13
Summary: Botan just wants to know how Hiei feels. Some OOCness.


**Forward**

"Hiei, please, I just, I just…I need to know where I stand." Botan's voice was small, a whisper of a breeze on a summer day, but it crashed above the warning thunder that echoed above the tree tops and rang boldly in the fire apparition's ears.

Her long sky blue hair had become a plaything of the harsh wind despite the tight red tie that held it together. Her light pink kimono had been traded for a pair of faded blue jeans, coupled with an old jean jacket that covered a dark pink sweater.

Hiei, however, noticed little of this, the striking feature that had so thoroughly captured his attention was her lovely amethyst eyes, sparkling with silent tears.

"I don't understand," he responded emotionlessly, seeming to materialize from the shadows themselves. A living shadow, he'd been called. Contrary to popular belief, solid black is not as inconspicuous as many would like to believe. No, solid black is an anomaly, easily noticed. Shadows are formed by the whisper of light over the darkness; solid black would stand out to anyone. Hiei made up for the problem with naturally pale skin, resembling freshly fallen snow against the deep onyx of his long cloak. The snowy white of his scarf and headband had been no accident, serving to break up his image in the night like a tiger's stripes. Even his dark hair, with its glossy white sheen, helped him to disappear.

His eyes were the only color he boasted. Deep garnet orbs that Botan had once told him were the most gorgeous and captivating eyes she'd ever seen. She refused to meet them now as she laughed humorlessly, several tears escaping down her face. Hiei felt his stiffened lips fall into a small frown; such a sad, hollow sound did not suit her.

"No, I suppose you don't." Her words were gaining strength as she slowly brought her watery pink eyes, slightly darkened with emotion, to meet his. The hardened demon almost flinched under her determined gaze.

"Hiei, do you love me?"

Thunder crashed again in the distance, and the air was heavy with the promise of rain, but the surrounding world simply did not exist anymore, her words crashing into him with more force than any weapon or energy blast had ever managed.

"Do you?" she asked again, stepping forward. Lightning flashed above them, but the promised rain held off. "Because I love you, Hiei." Her voice was soft and small, but so thick with emotion and tears it was almost solid.

"I love you so much." Her words were gaining fire, as if fighting just to escape her lips. She continued moving forward, moving toward him, each word punctuated by a step. "But I need to know, Hiei, do you love me? Because if you don't then I need to find someone that does."

He felt the growl before he heard it, deep violent vibrations sending trembles across his chest and through his throat, a dangerous feral sound when it left his lips. The ferry girl before him seemed surprised by his outburst, but continued stepping forward until only a few inches of air separated them.

"Please, Hiei," her whispered voice brushing across his face with her breath, "I just need to know how you feel." Her soft pale fingers now hovered in the air just above his shoulders. He felt his head roll back slightly, just enough to catch her lips as she leaned down to him…

But she froze just a hair's breath away from him.

The cold fire apparition couldn't seem to find it within himself to be embarrassed or annoyed when he heard himself emitting soft pitiful _whimpers _from his throat, uncharacteristically _begging _as her warm breath fanned across his mouth, so close that his movement in any direction except backward would press his lips to hers. But this was his choice, and she refused to make it for him.

So they remained locked in the moment of not quite touching, a moment of such stillness that any statue would appear to sway.

The shorter demon felt his eyes fall closed as he continued to breathe her air. She wanted to know how he felt, but his voice was lost, perhaps stolen by the rough wind as it awaited the promised storm.

But Botan didn't need the words; she just needed to _know_.

He could feel her; her soothing aura danced across his senses. Her scent rested so strongly against him he could taste it. A sweet fragrance of vanilla and wild honey so wonderfully, agonizingly sweet, so uniquely _Botan_…It was so perfect it hurt. The bruising wind brushed her blue silk threads against his face, tickling his skin. She was so close, yet so terribly far away…No, he'd keep her close to him. She was _his _and he wanted her to know that. So he made the move that deep down he'd known he'd make all along…

He leaned forward. 

Yeah, I know I got a little ramblely in a few places, and the ending's a little…abrupt, but it just didn't seem to want to end. As for my rambling…well, I have no excuse.

Anyway, just thought I should let everyone know that I stole the 'solid black' thing about Hiei from a Terry Pratchett book I read a while ago. _Nightwatch_, I think, I'll have to look to be sure. I mixed black and white because of Hiei's usual attire; in the book he mentions mixing dark greens, blues, and grays.

And remember, I _want _your opinions, good or bad, so let me know, ok?


End file.
